MLPs operate pipelines used to transport natural gas and oil and pay out most of their cash flow in dividends, also known as distributions. High-yields have made this a popular group among income-hungry investors.

About Focus on Funds

As exchange-traded funds and other investing vehicles have ballooned in number, the task of figuring out what works well and what doesn’t has only gotten harder. Barrons.com’s Focus on Funds looks under the hood of ETFs, mutual funds and hedge funds for overlooked values, actionable ideas and the latest pitfalls for fund investors.